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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28894920">First Date</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/obviouslyelementary/pseuds/obviouslyelementary'>obviouslyelementary</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Enterprise [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Enterprise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Grumpiness, Idiots in Love, M/M, No Angst, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, no beta we die like jemhadar, no beta we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:34:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,043</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28894920</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/obviouslyelementary/pseuds/obviouslyelementary</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Trip asks Malcom on a date, without making it clear that it is a date. </p><p>And Malcom is late.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Malcolm Reed/Charles "Trip" Tucker III</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Enterprise [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2119128</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>First Date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My first fanfic for these cuties, probably not the last :P</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>What time was it?</p><p>Trip turned around, quick, trying to find his clock that laid next to his bed. Shit, almost time. He couldn't be late. He had heard about the British's exceptional punctuality and he wasn't going to screw up their first date like this. Well, if it was a date at all. For all he knew, Malcom could be seeing this as guys being pals, having a dinner together to talk about work and women and whatnot. He would probably get the gist's of it when he arrived, though, which worried Trip a little bit more. Expecting a 'night with the boys' and getting a 'romantic dinner date' instead was quite the let down, and since he had never truly, openly confessed, there was no way he knew Malcom's intention.</p><p>He just hoped he wouldn't screw up their friendship over a misunderstanding.</p><p>For all Trip, Hoshi, Jon, Travis, Phlox, even T'Pol knew, Malcom was showing all the signs that he reciprocated Trip's feelings. Because of course, being the engineer he was, he wouldn’t leave one piece hanging when it came to any part of his life, even personal. So maybe he was a little overwhelmed, asking all their mutual friends if there was even a slim chance that Malcom liked him back. For what they knew, yes, he did, and that was good enough for Trip.</p><p>At least until now it had been good enough. Now that he was finishing preparations, getting the candles lit and preparing the final touches... insecurity filled him up with the teeth.</p><p>It was almost 1900 hours... he would be arriving soon.</p><p> </p><p>---------------------</p><p> </p><p>Three hours later, and Trip was beginning to think he had fucked up real bad.</p><p>He stared at the door as if at any moment, it would slide open and Malcom would be there, apologizing for being late. Truth was, it wouldn't happen. The most logical, as T'Pol would say, conclusion was that he had found of one their friends and inquired about said dinner, and with their answer, he had decided to leave Trip hanging for an excuse in the next morning, probably, something a polite britishman would do instead of confronting Trip head on.</p><p>Malcom was not one to run away in fear, but when it came to feelings, he wasn't one to deal with them openly either.</p><p>Trip let out a deep sigh, checking the clock again and wincing. Three hours and eight minutes late. He would have to go to sleep soon, his shift was early in the morning, the food was already ice cold. His glass of beer barely untouched, the candles by their last drop of wax... he felt ridiculous. Why in the world would he ever think Malcom would want a relationship with him? Why did he believe his friends? Many questions and literal no answers for him. Just a lonely, quiet dinner.</p><p>BY the time the clock hit ten thirty, he gave up. He stood up, gathering the plates and throwing away the food and candles (not really, he put them up for recycling, as they did with everything on the ship) and began getting ready to sleep. He wasn't even hungry anymore. He took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, put on his bright blue boxers and headed to bed.</p><p>And then the doorbell chimed.</p><p>Trip sighed, rubbing his eyes and heading over, believing it to be Jon or Hoshi wanting to know how the date went. He opened the door, ready to tell them off, when his eyes met Malcom's, looking as if he had come running. He frowned at how dirty and sweaty the tactical officer looked, before he realized he was still in his underwear and blushed ever so slightly.</p><p>"I am sorry, commander. I was... one of the weapons malfunctioned and I had to fix it before... it took longer than I expected... I am sorry" he said, always polite, breathing hard while trying to control it, while Trip just stared at him. "I'm guessing you... gave up on dinner?"</p><p>Trip looked down with Malcom at his own lack of clothes and then shrugged.</p><p>"I can dress up, if you're still up for it. Come in" he said, making way, and Malcom walked inside, looking around and sitting on Trip's personal little desk. Trip put on a lazy shirt and a pair of sweatpants, not exactly the nicest thing to wear on a date, but Malcom was wearing a dirty uniform so... could be worst. He called the chef, requesting some beef and potatoes with some gravy and veggies, and then sat down in front of Malcom.</p><p>Neither of them spoke for a long while.</p><p>"I really did not mean to take so long. I thought I would be late, yes, but only around half an hour... not three hours and a half" Malcom said, apologizing again, but Trip gave him a half hearted smile and shook his head.</p><p>"All good, Mal. It was just dinner, nothing important."</p><p>Well, couldn't be further from the truth, but now Trip's mood was out of the airlock.</p><p>"Oh... I see" Malcom said, as if he had something else to say, but he did not elaborate on it. They remained silent until the cook came to bring them their food, and Trip thanked him, offering Malcom his plate and then sitting down in front of him.</p><p>"So. Did you fix the machine at least?" Trip asked, eating a piece of his meal, but it was quite tasteless. Malcom nodded, taking a bite of his own as well.</p><p>"Yes, I did. Very much like you I would rather anticipate problems than having an issue in the middle of a battle" he said, giving Trip a glance that didn't say much. "Hoshi... said you had been looking forward to this dinner. Is there something you would like to tell me?"</p><p>Hoshi.</p><p>Great.</p><p>"No, nothing too important. I think she got the wrong idea was all. We don't get to spend too much time together, alone, and like, it's fun to have some food with the boys sometimes. I oughta bring Jon next time" he chuckled, shrugging. His plans were all down the drain by now. No point in trying to get the mood back on.</p><p>"I see..." Malcom said, softly, playing around with his food for a second before starting to eat it again. "So tell me, how was your day? Too many manifolds to clean?"</p><p>"No, not really. 'twas a quiet day, not much. Mostly maintenance, you know how cranky the engine gets when I don't give her 'tention" Trip chuckled, biting down his catfish with want, just wishing this awkward moment would end. He was still in his underwear, Malcom was still dirty and in his uniform... this all sucked ass.</p><p>"Mister Tucker... Trip" Malcom said, taking a deep breath suddenly and looking at him. "I'm sorry I didn't make it in time. But I have to be honest, I am not feeling welcomed here... Perhaps I should leave, we could reschedule for another day."</p><p>"Oh no, no shit Mal, no, you can stay. I'm being an asshole, please, I love your company" he said, cursing himself internally. Love? Oh boy, he was waist deep. "I mean, you can stay, I'll stop being an ass right away. I invited you here, after all."</p><p>"That you did" Malcom agreed, giving him a smile and a chuckle. "Alright I will stay, as long as you stop that long face. I'm sorry I didn't make it in time."</p><p>"Stop apologizing, you had important things to do" Trip shook his head, eating some more of his food. Malcom stayed quiet, which was weird, and when Trip looked up, he found Malcom staring at his food intensively, without eating or doing anything else. "Mal?"</p><p>"Trip" he said, looking up, and then sighed softly. "I... came late on propose."</p><p>"What?" Trip asked, confused and now just slightly offended. "You left me hanging on propose? Why?"</p><p>"Because..." he sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose slowly, as if he had a headache. "Because I probed Hoshi until she told me what this was about... and I panicked."</p><p>"You? Panicked?" Trip asked, unbelieving, before the words settled in his mind and he blushed bright pink. "Wait, Hoshi told you?!"</p><p>"Don't be mad at her, I made her tell me" Malcom said, quick to jump on someone's defense. "I... noticed you talking to the others about a mysterious subject you didn't talk to me about, and then the crew began questioning me about some strange topics... needless to say, I put two and two together and... I had to confirm my theory."</p><p>"Great. So you played detective" Trip said, rolling his eyes, offended and a bit hurt. Couldn't he do anything to impress or surprise Malcom? Apparently not. "So, tell me, Sherlock Holmes. What's your conclusion?"</p><p>"... You asked me on a date."</p><p>"And you said yes."</p><p>"And then I panicked."</p><p>"Wonderful" Trip snorted, rolling his eyes. "You stood me up because you got the hibbie jibbies. Honestly I should've expected it."</p><p>"I did not stood you up because of... 'hibbie jibbies'" Malcom said, sounding offended. "Also I did not stand you up. I was merely late."</p><p>"Three and a half hours! If that isn't being stood up I don't know what is" Trip groaned, frustrated, throwing his napkin away and crossing his arms. "Honestly I'm not hungry anymore. If you wanna leave, then leave."</p><p>"Who said-"</p><p>"You said! You panicked! And it's clear you don't like me back or else you'd be kissin' me right now" Trip huffed, blushing some more at his words. Well fuck, he was already sleepy and this was giving him a headache.</p><p>"Trip, listen-"</p><p>"No, I think I've been humiliated enough for a night, I think you should leav-"</p><p>He was cut off by a pair of lips against his own, and all his grumpy mood flew out of the airlock to a very distant planet. He kissed Malcom back, immediately, reaching up to hold his cheeks as the other leaned over the table, only pulling away when they were both relaxed. Malcom looked at him, right in the eyes, blue meeting blue, and tilted his head.</p><p>"Like this, commander?"</p><p>Trip felt his cheeks burning, he was probably as red as hot sauce, but he nodded and swallowed thickly.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah like that" he whispered breathless, and Malcom gave him that knowing smirk of his, standing up and walking around the table. Trip jumped to his feet in a flash, suddenly way taller than his colleague, but that didn't stop him from feeling like a teenager boy being stared at by his crush.</p><p>"I am not going to stand you up again. I'm sorry" Malcom assured, face softening, and Trip swallowed thick with a nod.</p><p>"I hope you don't. Those were three hours of wasted time when we could be kissin'."</p><p>"I guess you have a point" Malcom chuckled, leaning up and holding Trip's cheek, kissing him again, this time the kiss deepening beyond a press of lips, Trip's arms wrapping around the brit's waist, pulling him closer.</p><p>Oh that felt better than he had imagined.</p><p>When they pressed together, both of them jumped, having forgotten that Trip was still on his underwear and Malcom was fully clothed, and very dirty. They looked at each other and let out uncomfortable chuckles before they pulled away, Trip scratching the back of his neck.</p><p>"So... maybe we should stop it here. You know, I'm a respectable gentleman, I don't go down on first dates."</p><p>"I see... a pity" Malcom said, shrugging and looking at Trip's eyes with a new resolve. "On that matter I'm not gentleman at all."</p><p>Trip blushed deeply, yet again, and felt the heat on his chest as well. Malcom seemed to appreciate it, chuckling softly, and tilted his head as an invitation.</p><p>One Trip would not pass.</p><p>"You will need a shower."</p><p>"Engine oil doesn't turn you on, commander?"</p><p>"No, not really."</p><p>"Than a shower it is. I will be right back."</p><p>Malcom gave him a smirk and headed to Trip's bathroom, making the blonde's heart skip a beat and his stomach bubble up some heat.</p><p>Hell yeah, he needed to thank Hoshi for this later.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Kudos and comments are always LOVED</p></blockquote></div></div>
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